Three teen girls suffered minor injuries Tuesday, when the truck they were riding in left the road and hit a tree. Post photo by J.Reed.

Three teen-aged girls on a joyride were injured Tuesday morning in Nelson Township, when the driver lost control of the vehicle they were in and hit a tree head-on. The accident occurred just one day after students, friends and family buried fellow student Wyatt Phillips, also a victim of an auto accident.

According to Sheriff Deputies Jason VanDyke and Brad Mercer, Kaitlyn Twork, 17, an unlicensed driver, took the family’s Chevrolet 4×4 for a spin with two of her friends, Fawna Flanagin, 15, and Shelbi Link, also 15. According to a witness, the truck was headed eastbound on 16 Mile and stopped at the stop sign at Shaner. The driver then gunned it across the intersection and continued east on 16 Mile (which is gravel) at a high rate speed. The truck traveled a short distance before veering off the left side of the road and hitting a tree head on.

“It’s a good thing they weren’t going any faster than they were,” said VanDyke. “But they were going fast enough to drive the engine compartment up into the dashboard.”

The three girls were all seatbelted, and suffered minor cuts and contusions, according to police, but were quite emotional and upset at the scene. All three were sent to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Deputy VanDyke said Twork would be cited with careless driving and driving without a license.

The Cedar Springs Fire Department and Rockford Ambulance assisted at the scene.

When will it be enough that there friends r dieing and use the brains they were given and slow the heck down!! The parents in this case have given the directions, now it’s time for the kids to take respondsability for there actions! You are not indusructable!! Think about your families and the pain they will have if something happens to you!! Wake Up!!

Its not the parents fault because kids are going to do what they want to no matter what. Also raising the driving age wouldn’t help because the girl was unlicensed anyways, so please stop commenting about how bad the parents are and that other kids should be punished.

@ Tony ignorant….really???? How bout inexperienced? Until you are in these parents shoes keep your negitive comments to yourself. Grow up and have some respect for this community that is hurting right now!!!!!

It’s too soon. The community and three families just went through more than anyone should. This event was absolutely preventable and the driver needs to be held accountable. I can’t even call it an accident. Michigan Law says that a driver UNDER the age of 18 may NOT have more than one other person in the car that is under the age of 18 at any time with the exception of family members (but don’t quote me on the last part). I think it’s time children under the age of 18 be required to have no one in the car with them with the exception of parents/family.

Shall not operate a motor vehicle at any time with more than 1 passenger in the vehicle who is less than 21 years of age except:

when the additional passengers are immediate family members;
when driving to or from or in the course of employment;
while going to or from an authorized activity; or
when accompanied by a parent or legal guardian or a licensed driver 21 years of age or older designated by the parent or legal guardian.

Authorized activity means any of the following:

(a) A school or a school-sanctioned event or activity. School means a public or private school, including a home school.
(b) A sporting event or activity, or extracurricular event or activity, that is not school-sanctioned but that is part of an official sports league or association or an official extracurricular club, or that is paid for as a service offered by a business specializing in those events or activities or training for those events or activities.
(c) A class or program of vocational instruction offered by a college, community college, nonprofit association, or unit of government or by a business specializing in vocational training.
(d) An event or activity sponsored by a religious organization that is tax-exempt under federal law.
(e) Transporting an individual in need of immediate emergency care or personal protection to a health care professional, hospital, police station, domestic violence shelter, or public safety location.

Are you kidding me??? Come on kids!! This makes me so sad and angry at the same time. 3 of your classmates were just in a horrible, tragic accident and you go and do this?? What is it going to take for our youth to wake up and realize they are NOT invinsible! ESPECIALLY after what just happened. Is that not enough of a wake up call?? I am SO glad everyone was ok and the parents, friends, and community didn’t have to go thru another tragedy. Kids, PLEASE slow down and know that you are not invinsible.

Sara The Parents of the Driver is totally responsible for oll the Hospital Bills and maby pay for surgery for oll them scars they have.When a cild takes a Parents Car and get intou a acident like this they have to take care off the Bills.